An Angel's Grip
by JennyJeannette
Summary: A new student arrives at Cross Academy, determined to study, but also determined to rid the world of bad vampires.  As she gets tangled more and more into this school, she finds herself falling in love with her fated rival: a vampire.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! JennyJeannette here! This is my first fanfic for this website, and I know it's not that good, but please bear with me because I worked really hard on this. If you have any suggestions for my next few chapters, please go ahead and tell me, because I'm a newbie at writing and I need all the help I can get. Thanks for taking the time to read my article! Please review and enjoy! : )**

"Okay, Jenny-Kun, we've reached Cross Academy!" announced my driver, Jun, as we pulled into the courtyard of Cross Academy.

I rolled my window down and peeked out, taking in the scenery. Towering over us was a tall white wall, with pictures of a sun and a moon on either side of the entryway. Behind it was a rocky pathway, green grass on either sides of the path.

Jun stepped out of the car and opened my door. "I hope you enjoy your studying here, Jeannette. Now, the headmaster's office is in that building beyond the gate. Oh, I think I see some students walking around! You could ask them for some directions!" He flashed a smile.

I could tell he was eager to let me go, so I got out of the car. The minimum amount of bags I'd brought with me were out on the sidewalk. I sighed and looked Jun right in his green eyes. "Thanks for everything, Jun. Tell Master that I'll be reporting soon." I awkwardly hugged him, and let go.

As he got back in the car, he yelled, "Have fun and stay sharp!" Without another word, he drove off into the city beyond.

I took a breath and gathered all of my bags. I had three in total, and they were all full with clothes and my other meager possessions. I trudged past the wall and into the courtyard, where I could feel all eyes on me. I was the only teenager there who wasn't wearing proper uniform, which made me uneasy. My T-shirt and jeans easily stood out in the crowd.

I stood in the center of the pathway awkwardly, wondering if I should continue to the Headmaster's office or to run away. I was on the verge of collapsing when a brown-haired girl of middling height walked up to me, her face shining.

"Greetings!" she chirped. Her brown eyes shimmered in the sunlight. "You must be the new student, Jeannette Thomas." She held out her hand. "I'm Yuki Cross, daughter of Headmaster Kaien Cross and Guardian of Cross Academy!" her hand made a swift salute.

I shook her hand back. "Nice to meet you, Yuki." A few feet behind her, stood a tall boy with silver hair and lavender eyes. His slim figure was leaning against a tree, and his face looked like it was in pain.

Yuki groaned and looked at him. "Zero! Don't be rude and meet the new student!" Zero made no move, so Yuki stalked over to him and pulled him towards me. "Jeannette, this is my partner, Zero Kiryu."

"Hello, Zero," I said politely.

He nodded and muttered a harsh "Hello".

When none of us could stand the awkward silence, Yuki eagerly led me into the white building, which she told me was the Headmaster's office. The three of us walked down the narrow hallways, where she explained the purpose of each room.

Finally, we reached the end of the hallway, where a sign labeled "Headmaster's Office" stood next to a yellow-painted door. Yuki pushed the door open, where an auburn haired man sat behind a wide desk, staring at his fingers. Standing beside him was a tall brown-haired boy with brown eyes. His face was agonizingly beautiful.

"Ah, our new student!" the auburn man squealed, jumping out of his seat and shaking my hand wildly. "I'm Kaien Cross, the headmaster. I'm delighted to have you as a student here!" He patted my shoulder, his eyes twinkling. "I know you will enjoy your stay here at Cross Academy." He looked past me, where Yuki and Zero were standing. "Yuki…Zero…would you mind leaving us for a moment? I must speak of important matters with Ms. Thomas."

Yuki saluted to him. "Yes, of course, Headmaster !"

Kaien sighed and said, "Just call me Father…"

As Yuki and Zero exited the room, the beautiful brunette boy walked over to me, his face smiling. "Hello, Jeannette. I am Kaname Kuran, dorm president of the Moon Dormitory."

I felt my cheeks redden. "N-nice to meet you, Kaname."

Headmaster Cross motioned me to sit in a chair in front of him, and I did. Kaname remained standing.

"So, Jeannette, I've reviewed your records and there are some things I want to clarify." He removed his glasses and rubbed his temples. "When you were twelve years old, your parents were killed by a pair of vampires, correct?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"And so you were separated from your three siblings, and you became the student of Kazuki Shouhei." His almond eyes narrowed. "As far as I know, Kazuki Shouhei is one of the top Vampire Hunters."

I closed my eyes. "Yes."

"Jeannette, my children have suffered through the same pain as you did. I hope you will be able to find that Cross Academy is completely safe, even if there is a class of young vampires impending potential dangers to the human students. By the end of the school year, you will have nothing to say to your master except that Cross Academy is the best school ever!"

_I'm willing to prove you wrong, _I thought.

When I didn't answer, he pounded his fist on the table. "The secret of the Night Class must never be revealed to anyone!" He pointed a bony finger at me. "Will I be able to trust you with this secret, Jeannette-Kun?"

I stood up, feeling energy surging through my bones. "Yes, Headmaster!"  
>He clapped his hands. "Fine! I now grant you position of a Guardian! From now on, you, along with Yuki and Zero, will watch both the Day and Night classes to keep all our students safe!" He bent closer to me. "This way, you will be able to observe the vampires of the Night Class while you are out patrolling."<p>

I nodded. "And my uniform…?"

He gasped. "Of course! Kaname-Kun, will you please hand me that bag on the shelf?" Kaname did so, and the headmaster placed the bag in my hands as if it was an ornate vase. "You will be studying with the Day class, so you will wear the black uniform."

My gaze flickered to Kaname, who was wearing a white uniform. _He must be from the Night Class. That means he's a vampire! _Rage filled up inside me as I remembered my parents, who were no longer with me anymore. For five years, I had been alone, with no one but a cruel old man to converse with. Vampires had caused this.

Headmaster Cross pushed me toward the door. "Okay, Jeannette, off to class now! You can leave your bags here—I'll find you a room by the end of the day."

Before he closed the door, Kaname smiled at me. "See you later, Jeannette." And I was in the narrow hallway again.

I sighed and pressed my uniform bag to my chest.

And so began my first day at Cross Academy.

**A/N: Well, there you have it. I know there are a few kinks here and there, but hopefully it'll turn out better in the next few chapters. Please give me feedback on what you think about it, because I'll be posting chapter two really soon! Thanks for reading! : )**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

I found a restroom nearby and changed my clothes in there. I took a long look at myself in the mirror: my brown hair was a few inches past my shoulder, and my reddish lips were set into a frown. My gray eyes looked tired—which they were—and I couldn't help but remember my older brother, Christopher. People had always said that we could've been twins, with the exception of birth dates and eye color.

I closed my eyes. _Don't cry on your first day of school, _I told myself. I clenched my fists until my depression moment passed, and then stepped outside.

With instructions from the Headmaster, I found my way to yet another large white building, which I assumed was where all the classes took place. Day Class students were walking inside, forming a rather large crowd. I followed them inside, where I was led to a wide and open classroom.

I spotted Yuki sitting somewhere in the middle of all the rows, with Zero closer to the back wall. As our line of sight crossed, she waved at me to come over. As I walked through the little pathways in between the rows of seats, the students stared at me anxiously. Before I had reached Yuki, a boy with black hair and gray glasses stopped me by standing in my way.

"You're the new girl, right?" he inquired. "Jeannette Thomas?" He eyed the Guardian symbol on my uniform viciously. "How are you a Guardian when this is your first day here?"

Before I could speak, Yuki appeared behind him. "Sorry, Jeannette!" she apologized, glaring at the boy. "This is our Class President. He's wanted to be a Guardian for a while now."

I smiled at the boy. "Do you mind moving out of my way, so we could all start class?"

He blushed and hustled away, muttering to himself. I slid into a seat next to Yuki and a girl next to her, who had almond eyes and lively red hair.

Yuki smiled at me and put her hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Jeannette, this is Sayori Wakaba. She's my best friend."

We exchanged greetings, and Sayori told me that I could call her Yori for short. I was actually really enjoying my day here.

The classes passed on slowly, and the only thing that made me pay attention was the teacher, Sensei Yagari. His wavy black hair was messy, and his blue eyes shimmered. He had an eye patch over his left eye, which was the only disfigure on his beautiful face.

Finally, when school was over, Yuki stood up and stretched. "Okay, guys, we have to meet the Night Class at the Moon Dormitory!" She snapped her fingers at Zero, who appeared to be snoring, and led us out of the classroom and back into the courtyard. We walked along the path until we'd reached another white building at the far side of the school yard. Unlike the Sun Dormitory, the symbol on the building was a moon. Many girls were crowded around the golden fence, squealing loudly. I recognized the Class President as the only boy here, besides Zero.

"What are all these people doing here?" I asked Yuki.

Zero groaned. "They all treat the Night Class like celebrities, when they're only beasts in human form."

_Sheesh._ That was the longest sentence Zero had spoken to me ever since this morning.

Yuki ran toward the crowd and tried pushing them all from the gate. "Okay, girls, please don't push!" she pleaded. "Form a straight line! Remain calm…"

The girls didn't budge. Over all of their screaming, I heard various names being called out, like "Aido-sempai!" or "Ruka!"

I sighed and glowered at the crowd, my eyes intensifying the scene. They all looked at me with frightened expressions, and stepped a few paces away from the gate. Yuki looked at me surprisingly, but her face was relieved. She skipped over to where Zero and I were standing, and she smiled brightly. "Wow, Jeannette, you're as good as Zero!"

_Was that a compliment? _"Just doing my job." Suddenly, the doors to the gate of the Moon Dorm opened, revealing a large group of white-uniformed vampires. My stomach churned, immediately reacting to the monsters before us.

As they walked forward, a handsome blond vampire with blue eyes looked around questioningly. "Why is it so quiet? Usually, it would be loud with my name in the air!"

_This must be that Aido guy. _I stepped aside to let them pass, careful not to be lured in by their beautiful faces. Aido stopped walking when he reached me, and he scrutinized my face, licking his lips. "Another Guardian? She looks yummy!" his hand softly brushed against my face. I could feel the disapproving looks of the lovesick girls surrounding us.

In a second, my hand shot up to his, shielding it from my face. I gripped it roughly, daring him to come any closer. "Don't touch me, _vampire_," I said, low enough so only he could hear.

In a flash, another hand was gently touching my wrist. I looked up and met the familiar brown eyes of Kaname Kuran. I glared at him harder. His lips twisted into a soft smile, and he spoke in a whisper. "I apologize for Aido's clumsy actions. Please forgive him for his mistakes."

I pulled my hand away from him, and Yuki quickly bowed to him, saying, "Kaname-Sempai! I'm sorry for this inconvenience. She is new here, and—"

Kaname waved a hand to stop her. "It's okay, Yuki. She has every right to feel reserved toward us. After all…" his eyes seemed to dig into mine, and I looked down to avoid them.

I sighed and took Yuki and Zero's hands. "Let's start patrol," I muttered, leading them away from the alien students.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The three of us sat on the balcony in peaceful silence, watching over the Night Class like hawks. Yuki glared at me when she thought I wasn't looking, and I knew that I had upset her when I insulted Aido.

I sighed. "Are you gonna stare at me like that forever, Yuki?"

She huffed and looked away. I looked at my stopwatch for the umpteenth time. The Night Class had only fifteen minutes left of class. I silently celebrated in my head, picturing a warm bed. I twiddled with my fingers, hoping it would make the time pass quickly.

Yuki started suddenly, her brown eyes excited.

"What?" Zero and I asked in unison.

She smiled radiantly. "I just remembered! Tomorrow is St. Xocolatl's Day!"

Zero let out a groan, and I arched an eyebrow. "What is St. Xocolatl's Day?"

She flashed a surprised look at me. "You don't know? Well, St. Xocolatl's Day is basically a day where you express your love to someone by giving them chocolate!"

"So it's like Valentine's Day, right?"

She nodded. "But it doesn't only have to be your lover. It could be a friend, teacher, parent…"

I cringed when she said the word "parent". She must've noticed my reaction, so she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I lied. Eager for the attention to not be on me, I inquired, "Where could we get the chocolate?"

"Mostly from the town, but right now, it's pretty late."

"You should've told me earlier, I would've gotten you two some chocolate," I said quietly.

"I'm sorry, it just came to my mind just now!" Yuki apologized.

I shook my head. "Don't be sorry, it wouldn't matter because only a few people know me."

She hung her head in disappointment, and Zero stood. "Class is over," he murmured, walking away from us.

"Zero!" Yuki called, but he didn't listen. She sighed and stared at the Night Class. They were all exiting the classroom, where Kaname Kuran was looking our way. His gaze was on Yuki for a moment, then flickered over to me.

I looked away, heat flowing into my cheeks. _Stop looking at me!_

Yuki nudged me softly, then said, "Let's go." We left the balcony, and went to the Headmaster's office, where I received a room in the Girls' Dormitory. Luckily for me, my room was right next to Yuki and Yori's room, so Yuki showed me how to get there. But, I had to share it with another girl, much to my dismay.

I opened the door quietly, so as to not wake her up. I didn't bother turning on the light, for the moonlight shown directly through the room, illuminating it. On the far side of the room was a large window with a beautiful view of the courtyard in front of the Moon Dormitory. Under the window, was a little cabinet for our belongings. To the right of the cabinet, was a red-haired pretty girl, who was snoring softly. I took the bed on the other side of the room, dropping my bag on the floor. I opened the cabinet and found one full drawer and an empty one. I stored my clothing in the empty drawer, and hid the rest of my things under my bed. I changed into my pajamas, then laid on the bed.

I thought about the day's events, up to the last memory of Kaname Kuran staring at me from the window. I felt my cheeks heat up again, then succumbing to the call of my tiredness.

I awoke to a loud ringing noise, which didn't seem to stop. I groaned and threw the pillow over my face, trying to drown it out. Suddenly, the room was quiet again, and I opened my eyes to find my pillow thrown on the floor.

"Wake up!" said a voice that was way too cheery for the morning. I felt hands on my face, tugging at my cheeks.

"OUCH!" I yelped, pulling the hands away from my cheeks. I sat up, face to face with my red-haired roommate. Her semi-long hair was sticking out at random spots, and her blue eyes were tired, but anxious.

She stood up, rubbing her eyes. "Good morning, Jeannette Thomas. I'm your roommate, Barbara Tanaka." She went to the window and pushed the curtains away, revealing the sunrise. "I can't wait until the end of the day!" When I didn't respond, she said, "That's the time when we get to give our chocolates away!" She looked at me curiously. "Who are you giving your chocolate to?"

I ran my fingers through my hair. "Probably Zero, Yuki, and the Headmaster."

Her eyes widened. "Zero? As in Zero Kiryu? He's really scary…are you sure you're giving him chocolate?"

I nodded, then looked under the bed for my bag. Inside, I pulled out my sack of candy, and took out three. I knew they weren't chocolate, but they would have to do. I rummaged through the rest of my bags for three scraps of paper, and a pencil. On each of them, I wrote:

Happy St. Xocolatl's Day! Thanks for being a great friend.

-Jeannette

Without another word to Barbara, I ran to the bathroom, showered, changed, and ran back inside the room to gather my supplies for the day. Before leaving for class, I stuffed the three sweets into my pocket, and walked to class with a talkative Barbara.

The day was pretty much the same as yesterday, except for the fact that all the students were talking about St. Xocolatl's Day and who they were going to give their chocolates to. By the end of the day, I walked with Yuki, Zero, and Barbara to the Moon Dorm's gates, where the crowd of girls had already formed around it. This time, though, there were gates in which had names on each of them, and a line of girls stood behind them.

Barbara squealed. "I'm going to line up in Kaname-sempai's booth. See you later, Jeannette!" She ran to Kaname's booth, which already had a long line of hopeful girls.

"It's the same every year," Zero grunted.

I dug in my pockets for the candy, and handed each of them one. "Here, Yuki…Zero, these are just for helping me out yesterday."

Yuki grinned and hugged me. "Oh, thank you! We're going to be great friends, Jeannette!" She let go and looked expectantly at Zero, who was staring at his candy silently.

He looked at me and smiled a small smile. "Thank you, Jeannette."

I smiled back, feeling warm inside. I put my hand in my pocket to make sure that the headmaster's candy was still there, and it was. Finally, Yuki explained the rules of chocolate-giving to the crowd, and the Moon Dorm gate opened.

It was like being on the red carpet: the Night Class would walk through the path, stopping at their booths and receiving their chocolates. I was standing by Ichijo's booth, which was only half as long as Aido's booth.

Ichijo stopped by his booth and conversed politely with his fans, then looked at me. "Good morning, Jeannette."

I had an urge to tell him that it was evening, not morning, but I didn't care enough to. His blonde hair covered his pretty green eyes, which gleamed in the dying sunlight. I looked down and muttered an awkward "Good morning" back to him. The girls behind the booth screamed angrily, knocking it down.

"Get back!" I yelled, pushing them backward. Ichijo merely laughed and joined his class. In the midst of all the shoving, I felt a lightness in my pocket. I looked for Zero, and after sharing eye contact with him, he yelled at the girls to calm themselves. When the booth was put back to normal, I was grateful that Zero was a guardian. I shoved my hand in my pocket, and the candy wasn't there.

I looked around, then found it on the ground. I hastily picked it up, when someone from the Night Class nudged me and it fell out of my hand, landing into the hands of another person.

I looked up. Kaname Kuran had caught my candy, and he was already reading my note.

_NO, NO, NO! _Before I could say anything, though, he laughed and held the candy along with the others. "Thank you, Jeannette. I didn't know you considered me as a friend. I appreciate this."

"No worries, Kaname," I gritted through my teeth. My face was red and I felt Barbara from the other side of the path glare at me.

He smiled and ruffled my hair. "You're funny, Jeannette. I like you." He looked at his fellow classmates, and together they all walked to class.

I was left standing there, blushing more than I ever had my entire life.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**A/N: Omigosh, I'm so sorry for not updating soon enough! For some reason, the site wasn't working for my computer, so I quit on my story for a while. I hope the following chapters will make up for my mistake. Review and enjoy! : )**

The next morning, I woke up to loud bangs on my bedroom door.

_Grrrrr…_ I sat up and looked at the alarm clock. I could've slept for thirty more minutes, but apparently my visitor wouldn't allow it.

"What?" I asked. My cheeks were still hot from my latest run-in with Kaname Kuran. I wasn't looking forward to be going back to school.

"Ms. Thomas, the Headmaster requests you in his office immediately," said a voice.

"Now?"

"Now." I heard the sound of footsteps shuffling away.

I pouted. This wasn't fair. I only slept for three hours. I brooded for a moment, then hustled to get dressed. Barbara was still asleep, a frown etched on her face. She didn't react too kindly after witnessing my conversation with Kaname.

I sighed. When had everything come to this?

I ran most of the way to the Headmaster's office, mostly because I was already late. The sun was just about to rise, and at any moment I could collapse of exhaustion. When I reached the familiar yellow door, I rapped on it three times.

"Headmaster, you wanted to see me?"

"Oh, come in, Jeannette-Kun!" I heard from inside.

I stepped inside the office, seeing the Headmaster on his chair again. He motioned for me to sit in front of him, and I did. "I'm sorry for requesting you so early in the morning," he apologized. "But this is an urgent matter."

"What is it?" I asked.

He fiddled with his glasses for a bit, then answered, "Your master, Kazuki Shouhei, called earlier."

My eyes opened wide, despite how tired they were. "What did he say?"

Headmaster's usually joyful face was grave. "He told me that he doesn't want you to forget your training. He wants you to continue taking orders from the Hunter's Association."

I said nothing.

"Today, you don't have to go to school," he continued. "There have been reports of a Level E vampire roaming the nearby town. And you, Jeannette, are going to be the one to kill it."

I shuddered. "Kill it?" I whispered.

He leaned forward. "How many vampires have you slain, Jenny-Kun?"

"One," I replied flatly.

"Hmm…" he stood up and faced the window behind him, his arms crossed. "Is it okay with you? Hunting a vampire?"

I looked at my hands. "I don't really have a choice."

The headmaster abruptly turned around. "Oh, I forgot to mention! Your master also sent a package for you!" He bent down and grabbed a long parcel from under his desk. With a little effort, he handed it to me.

I grunted as I took hold of the item. Cautiously, I unwrapped the wrapping paper, and there it was.

Master's sword.

I traced my fingers through the long blade. The pommel of the sword was bright blue, with a few Japanese words written on it. I swung it—it was easy to handle.

"Nice," I murmured. I sheathed it, holding it tightly.

"One of the most ancient Anti-Vampire swords," Kaien Cross said. "It was passed down generation to generation in the Shouhei family. You must be proud to be holding it now."

I nodded. "Master never had any children; no wonder he decided to give this to me." In a way, I felt a new respect for my old teacher.

The headmaster sat down again. "Well, Jeannette, I wish you luck on this mission. Please be careful—I don't want you to get hurt."

"Of course, Headmaster." And with that, I left his office.

Outside, the sun was on the peak of the horizon. I stood before the entrance to the school, amazed at its beauty. _I wish everything could be like this, _I thought. With a sigh, I walked to the town, using my memory as a guide. Since it was still early, there weren't many people wandering about. All the shops weren't open yet, which gave the place an eerie silence. I stopped by a cake shop, where I peered through the glass window. I could see all of the pretty cakes on display from here. I remembered that I hadn't eaten breakfast yet.

_Darn… _I made a mental note to visit the shop later in the day.

As I walked through the town, I had to keep reminding myself the reason why I was here. I was somewhat nervous, and at times, I would keep looking behind me just in case. I used my senses to guide me through the narrow alleys. I hoped that I would find the Level E vampire, but at the same time, I hoped that I would never find it. It had been a year since I killed my first vampire. Afterward, I never felt the same again. The fact that I had killed a living being frightened me.

And now I was about to kill another one.

Suddenly, a sweet, sickly smell lingered toward me. I spun around, and the air grew heavy.

_That smell…_ I ran in the direction that the smell was coming from, making me end up in a square. As I made my way through the streets, the smell grew stronger and stronger, enough to make me want to vomit. Finally, I found myself at the end of a dark alley.

Before me, two red dots flashed. As I edged closer, I could see everything clearly. Crouching on the ground, was the Level E vampire. His auburn hair was covering most of his face, save for his mouth. Blood was dripping from his two protruding fangs. My eyes turned downward—in his hands was a girl no younger than six years old, dead.

He dropped the girl and stood up. His hair shifted, revealing his bloodlust eyes.

I staggered back accidentally, my hand on the pommel of my sword.

He smiled wildly. "So… you are the Hunter sent to destroy me, huh?"

My heart leaped a thousand miles. His voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard. I unsheathed my sword, pointing it at him.

He chuckled. "Pathetic. They send a teenager to kill me." He shook his head. "Oh well, I'll consider this as an extra helping." He snarled and lunged at me, which I swiftly dodged.

I swung at him, but he was too quick for me. He climbed up to the top of the building and disappeared.

I ran out into the open, not wanting to be cornered. "Show yourself!" I shouted.

When I turned around, he was suddenly behind me. I yelped and parried at him, but he circled me like how a lion would.

_He's playing with me! _With a yell, I jumped at him, slicing through his stomach.

Unfortunately, that was not enough to kill him. We kept at it for what seemed like hours, when he finally raised his hands, saying, "You tired, Vampire Hunter? Why don't you lie down for a while?"

I cursed at him and lunged forward, but missed again. I fell to the ground, my sword falling out of my hand. My ears rang as the metal struck the ground, several feet away from me.

I gasped as he pinned me to the ground.

He licked his lips. "Finally…" He arched his neck toward my head. I could feel his tongue running over my neck, over and over again.

"No!" I tried wriggling free, but he wouldn't budge. I was helpless. _This can't be happening… _I closed my eyes, preparing myself for the pain that was yet to come.

Before his fangs could pierce my skin, an earsplitting scream escaped from him. I opened my eyes, surprised to see my body covered in gray dust.

"What?" I sat up, shaking the dust off me. When my vision began to get clearer, I made out a pale hand that was a few inches from my face. I looked up and locked gazes with Kaname Kuran, who was holding my sword.

_No, not him. Anyone but him. _I ignored his hand and got up on my feet, brushing the dust off my clothes. "What are _you _doing here?"

He frowned. "I just saved your life. I believe you owe me some sort of gratitude."

I glared at him. "I don't owe you anything. Besides, don't you usually send one of your "pawns" to do the dirty work for you?"

He chuckled. "Strange girl. You hear much, don't you?"

I ignored that and eyed my sword, wondering if he would give it back to me. "How did you know I was here?" I asked.

He sheathed my sword and handed it to me. "I noticed that you weren't with Kiryu and Yuki during the transitions."

"Huh." This guy sure noticed a lot of things.

He took my hand gently. "We should be going back. You were gone for a whole day." He pulled my hand up to his face, sending an electric wave through my body.

"What're you—" I started, but he raised a hand to stop me.

"You suffered many bruises," he said. "I can heal them for you." He brought my hand closer to his lips.

"Pervert!" I yelled. "Let go!" I tried pulling my hand away, but his grip on it was too tight.

His brown eyes looked angry. "Jeannette, stop being stubborn. You'll get yourself hurt again." He lightly placed a finger on the palm of my hand, making me cringe from the wound on it.

I sighed. "Whatever."

He placed his lips to the wound, making it shine like a bright light. I felt no pain—just the tingles that his touch sent through my body. I wanted him to stop, but at the same time, I didn't. No one has ever been this close to me, and I would've never guessed that it would be a vampire who broke that record.

When I thought that the wound was healed, I said, "Are you done yet?"

He closed his eyes. "I think so."

"Will you let go of my hand?"

He smiled and opened his eyes. "Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**A/N: Agh, another long period between chapters! I'm so, so, sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I think life's catching up with me. To avoid any confusion, this chapter takes place a while after the last chapter's events, and the events inside this one take place after Maria Kurenai joins Cross Academy. I hope I'll get to Chapter Six faster this time! *crosses fingers***

**Review and enjoy! **

"Jenny?" Yuki gently tapped me on the shoulder.

"Hmm?"

She pressed her face against my ear and whispered, "She's staring at you again."

My head jerked up from the notebook that I was reading. I hated myself for choosing to study the night before the exam that would determine my final grade for the semester, but being a Guardian could be a hassle. My eyes searched through the window of the classroom, where I found silver-haired Maria Kurenai looking at me.

I turned my head back to the book. "That girl gets on my nerves," I muttered. Since her arrival, she'd gotten into a habit of staring at me, probably because I was one of the three Vampire Hunters in the school.

"It's not just you," Yuki said. "Zero told me to stay from her as well." We both looked at Zero, who was staring at the subject of our conversation with dagger-like eyes. Yuki was right; ever since two days ago, Zero had been uptight, glaring at everyone with more heat than usual. I just assumed that the exams were getting to him, but Zero usually wouldn't get stressed over something as trivial as that.

I looked up again, annoyed when Maria was still staring at me. "I don't get why she joined so late in the semester. She missed out on half of the school year!"

Yuki nodded. "That's another thing. Headmaster told me that she caught a rare type of disease when school started, but she could've just joined at the start of second semester."

"She's gone," Zero said suddenly.

"What?" we asked simultaneously.

"She's gone," Zero repeated. "Look."

And sure enough, Maria wasn't anywhere in the classroom. I stood up from the ledge, my Hunter senses tingling and my annoyance at a high level. "Where is she?"

"I'll go look inside." Zero glided from the balcony and into the entrance, disappearing behind the door.

"I'll go with him," Yuki said, her small figure looking frail. Without another word, she ran into the building, the door slamming shut behind her.

I sighed and closed my notebook. _Way to leave me there, guys. _I usually wasn't afraid patrolling alone, but Maria kept me on edge. There was just something not right about her.

I turned around, intending to circle the building, when a flash of silver rang through my field of vision. I yelped as Maria Kurenia was suddenly standing in front of me, her lavender eyes staring at me with more intensity than they were from inside the building.

"Maria!" I gasped. "What are you doing out here?"

She shrugged as if it was no big deal. "It got hot in the classroom."

It was this kind of talk that irritated me. "…I turned the heater up, because it's winter now." I felt stupid, talking like this.

Her lips parted, revealing her glossy fangs. "I lied. Kuran was staring at me, so I stared at you so I wouldn't get embarrassed." She looked back at the classroom. "I don't think he likes me very much."

_Really. _Kaname Kuran was the last person on this planet who I'd thought would have a grudge over someone. Ever since my last mission, he'd been annoyingly nice to me every day.

I sighed again and gripped my book tightly. "I'm sorry, Maria, but that doesn't give you a reason to skip out of class. Please go back now." I took a step toward the other side of the balcony, when I felt a hand pulling me back.

"Wait!" her pale hand tightened on my wrist, and I shivered from the touch.

When I looked at her, she looked really scared. I was accustomed to frightened vampires, since I was the one ending their lives and all…

"Wait," she said again, looking me right in the eye. "Can you come with me? I'm afraid…" her gaze drifted to the classroom, where the rest of the Night Class was.

_But I have studying to do… _"Fine," I said, giving in. "But you have to promise me that you won't do this again."

She nodded. "I promise."

I slowly eased my hand away from hers and silently accompanied her inside the building. It was dim inside, for the vampires shunned daylight. It would've been hard for me to see if not for Maria's silver hair, which lit up a small space in front of me. When we came across the door to the classroom, Maria stopped walking and leaned against the wall.

I looked at her questioningly. "Maria?"

She rubbed her elbow, looking nervous. "Kuran will be angry with me for leaving."

"How did you even get out of there without him noticing?" I asked.

She shrugged again. "I don't think he cared, really."

I stepped forward and took her hand. "You've got to learn to accept the consequences, you know?" I smiled, trying to comfort her. "Don't worry, he won't be too mad. I would be lucky if he glared at me sometimes."

A faint smile flashed across her face, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come. "Okay…I'll go if you come inside with me."

I stifled a groan and put my hand on the doorknob. "Fine." _Anything to get this over with._

Maria's face immediately lightened up as she skipped over to me. I wanted so much to go back to my room, but my duties made me do otherwise. I opened the door, finding Yuki and Zero talking to Mr. Yagari and Kaname.

They both looked surprised to see me, but their gazes darkened as they took in the silver girl behind me. "Maria!"

Maria gripped my uniform jacket as she hid behind me. I sighed and said, "I found her outside, right after you left."

Kaname stepped forward, looking tired. "Maria, I don't want another disturbance during class time. You cannot leave the building without my permission."

Her hands gripped tighter into my uniform, but I felt her head nodding behind me.

Kaname looked sternly at her, then switched his gaze to me. The smile that appeared on his face was small, but it told me that he was happy to see me. "Thank you for bringing her back, Jeannette."

I yawned and covered my mouth. "Actually, it was more like her bringing me here, but you're welcome." I smiled back and looked down at Maria. "Maria, will you let go? I need to study."

She released her hold on me. "Okay…sorry for disturbing you." She sat down in one of the seats in the back of the room, her head down on the wooden desk. Mr. Yagari showed no acknowledgement to me, but he continued his lesson as if nothing had happened.

"Okay, then," I said, feeling an awkward silence settling in. I looked at Zero and Yuki, who looked mildly confused. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Zero nodded, and Yuki smiled. "Good night!"

I stepped out into the hall, rubbing my eyes. I heard footsteps from behind me, and the door closing. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"Do you need anything?" I crossed my arms and took in Kaname's familiar scent.

"I figured I'd accompany you, since I was heading to the headmaster's office anyway," he answered, a smirk on his face.

"Whatever," I said, walking as fast as I could.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

When we finally reached the girls' dorm, I stopped walking. Kaname stood behind me silently, making me wonder if he'd actually follow me inside. I turned around and lightly punched his chest. "You're so annoying, you know?"

He chuckled. "You're the first to say so." He took my hand and put it to his cheek, a habit he was accustomed to ever since my last mission.

I arched an eyebrow. "The wound's gone, Kaname."

He nodded, letting go. "Good night."

"Yeah. Bye." I swiftly turned and shuffled into the building, where I closed the door behind me. I peered through the window beside the door, checking to see if he left. He did, but he was walking in the wrong direction to the Headmaster's office. In fact, he was walking back to the school building.

_That lying, son of a… _My face burned at the fact that he only accompanied me not because he needed to visit the headmaster, but because he _wanted _to. I disliked him even more now. I watched him come across the gate before the school, but he turned left there and headed into the forest.

_What is he up to? _I glanced at my watch. It was two in the morning. I assumed that I did enough studying for tonight, so I left my notebook behind the potted plant beside the wall. I opened the door slowly, remembering vampires' sensitive hearing. I dashed from tree to tree, not letting him out of my line of vision.

Once I reached the forest, he was just a few feet in front of me. I held my breath and hid behind a tree, my heart beating inside my chest. He didn't seem to sense my presence, so I resumed following him.

I didn't really know why I was doing this, but as a Guardian, I should be able to keep an eye on everything, right?

Kaname walked for what seemed like hours, until finally he stopped before a large square hole in the ground. From my hiding spot, I could see stairs that were leading farther down into the earth. Kaname went down, his footsteps echoing through the whole forest.

I decided then not to follow him into the hole, for he would immediately be alerted to my presence. I squatted behind the tree, waiting for him to come back out. Thirty minutes passed, and when I thought of giving up and going back to the dorm, footsteps rang from the hole. I tilted my head toward the noise, and saw Kaname walking back up the stairs, his face paler than before.

I clutched a piece of bark from the tree I was standing by. _What was he doing down there?_ My curiosity couldn't be cured by just that, so I decided to explore the hole once he was gone.

I commanded my breaths to be quieter as Kaname passed my tree, making his way back to the school. Suddenly, he stopped, closing his eyes.

"Jeannette."

_Damn! _My heart ceased to beat, and I had trouble breathing as he turned around and faced me, his face expressionless.

I looked down at my hands, ashamed. "I'm sorry, I…I just wanted to see where you were going." _God, kill me now…_

He stepped forward and grabbed my free hands, pinning them to the tree. "Don't be sorry. You're a Guardian; this is what you're supposed to do."

I couldn't help trembling as he put his face closer to mine, his icy breath blowing across to me. His brown eyes morphed into a dark shade of red, shimmering in the moonlight. His fangs emerged from his gums, looking as sharp as ever.

From his appearance, I could conclude one thing:

I was face to face with a bloodlust vampire.

**A/N: I know, I know, this one was a little short. But I had to end it right there! As you can see, this is where the hot stuff begins. I never really know what to rate my articles because I'm never really sure what I'll be putting in them. But just in case, I'll keep things cool for now. : )**

**Stay tuned for Chapter 7! :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"Kaname!" I gasped. I backed up against the tree, writhing when the sharp pieces of bark pierced my skin.

"I have a feeling you won't tell anybody what you saw…" he pressed his lips to my exposed neck, kissing it.

My legs rose to his hips, trying to kick him away, but it was futile. He had me pinned down, and there was nothing I could do. I cursed myself for not having my anti-vampire sword with me.

Kaname grabbed my right leg and hooked it around his hip. "Aido was right, Jeannette… you _do_ smell good." As if to emphasize his point, his took a deep breath and pressed his forehead to mine. He murmured something unintelligible, which kind of sounded like, "Almost as good as Yuki…"

I bit my lip hard, forcing blood to ooze down to my chin. I wasn't stupid. I knew Kaname favored Yuki above all other girls, for reasons unknown. But why he wouldn't he drink Yuki's blood instead of mine?

He nestled up to my head again, licking the space below my ears. I thought I felt the sharp point of one of his fangs, sending shivers down my spine.

"Shit!" I gasped, my fingers digging into his hands as I writhed in his embrace.

His body rumbled as he laughed loudly. He obviously thought I wasn't the cussing type. He licked my neck again, a purring sound emanating from his throat. Finally, I realized that he was just stalling me. He wanted to distract me from asking about what was in the hole. _Lousy, arrogant Pureblood…_

I shifted my body so my face was facing another tree, and not him. _If he bites me, then I'll turn into a vampire…_

"Kaname," I breathed through what air was left in my lungs. "You don't want to do this. You're better…than this…"

He shoved his knee in between my legs, where my stomach was. I felt a large pounding from below, but I put it to the side. I wasn't going to vomit on him, for sure. His slender hand caressed my cheek, causing it to go numb. He pulled away from my neck, and gently held my face, making me look at him. "Am I?" he asked. His eyes were ravenous, and his body trembled from being so close to blood but not being able to take any. I was relieved at the fact that he wasn't after my blood tonight.

I sighed and relaxed in his arms, feeling his warmth course through my body. "You're right. I won't tell anyone," I said, trying to keep my voice even. "But that won't stop me from investigating."

He took a strand of my brown hair and wrapped it around his index finger. "That leaves me one thing to do, then…" Letting go of my legs, he reached around my waist and lifted me, cradling me in his arms. I held on to his uniform jacket, feeling dizzy.

"What are you going to do?" I questioned him, fear clawing at my chest.

His eyes looked sad. "I can't guarantee that you'll keep this a secret, so I'm going to erase your memory."

My eyes opened wide. "Erase…?"

He nodded, leaning closer to me. "I don't want you to tell Yuki about this; it's better if she doesn't know."

"You love her, don't you?" I didn't really mean to ask that—it just came out of my mouth somehow. I blushed deeply, feeling foolish for pressing into personal matters like that.

Kaname looked surprised, but then hid it with another façade. "You could say that… good night, Jeannette." He pressed his hand to the top of my head, and I felt a heavy weight pulling my eyes shut.

"Forget…" he whispered, and that was the last thing I heard before I went under.

I woke up and found myself in a room that wasn't mine. My face was covered in perspiration, and my cheeks were burning hot.

_What the… _As my senses became clearer, I noticed that I was lying on a grand bed with silk sheets. The walls around me were dark red, with swirling lines running from edge to edge. It was dark outside, so I assumed that it was nighttime. I couldn't really remember what day or year it was, which gave me an eerie feeling. I swung my legs off the bed, feeling a pang run through my head. I groaned and gripped the thick comforter behind me. I had a severe headache, and any little movement caused an explosion deep inside my brain. When it got a tiny bit less painful, I realized that I was in someone else's pajamas. I shivered and felt the cotton covering my knee.

With all the strength I could muster, I hopped off the bed and trudged to the door. Every step felt like a mile, and the world was swaying all around me. I gripped the doorknob, feeling the cold wood beneath my hand. I turned it and opened the door, revealing a dimly lit hallway. The carpet was soft and comforting to my bare, aching feet, and as I walked through the building, I noticed that I was inside the Moon Dorm.

_How did I get here? _I asked myself. I didn't feel it in my heart to go and investigate further, so I quickly tried finding the exit. It was a pretty large building, making finding my way much harder.

I staggered by a staircase which led to a lobby. Down there were a few couches and sofas, and beyond them were large doors. _Yes!_

Carefully, I tiptoed down the stairs, trying not to slip from my slippery nightclothes. Once I got on solid floor, I pulled my body toward the exit, wanting to feel the cold air of the outdoors.

As I felt for the doorknob, a rush of air flew past me, making me shudder. I turned around, and standing behind me was brunette and beautiful Kaname Kuran.

Understanding suddenly washed through me, hitting me like a powerful wave in a tsunami. His eyes, his teeth, his body… it was all coming back to me now. The forest became a clear picture in my mind, revealing the concrete hole in the ground. Kaname's last words to me still rang in my head.

My heart froze. How was I remembering these, if he erased my memory? I looked at him, trying my best not to let my emotions show on my face. His face was blank; eyes chocolate brown now.

"Jeannette, are you alright?" he asked.

I made my face look as confused as possible. He was here, checking on me to see if his erasing memory spell had worked. I wanted him to believe that.

I opened my eyes wider, trying to make them look glazed. "What?"

"You fainted outside, so I brought you here," he said, looking innocent. "Did anything happen to you?"

I put my hand to my forehead. "I…fainted?" He was obviously trying to convince me that something else had happened.

He nodded. "I think you might have run into a tree, or something." He gently ruffled my hair. "Clumsy girl."

I faked a smile, my cheeks blushing. "Oh yeah… I remember I was walking back to the dorm. I was really tired, so I didn't see the tree." I chuckled softly. "Oops."

Kaname smiled, supposedly trying to make me feel stupid, like I was supposed to be. "Be careful next time, okay?"

I opened the door slowly, nodding. "Alright. Thank you for taking me in." I shut the door, feeling the urge to run straight to the hole and finally find out the mysteries inside it. My conscience told me otherwise, though. I walked back to the dorm, my heart in my throat.

Kaname really had me tied down. If I tried telling anybody, then he'd immediately know and try erasing my memory again.

But that was the thing. Why could I still remember what happened? Was there something wrong with me? I guess I should've been grateful that the memory-erasing spell didn't work on me…but why?

One thing was clear, though. Even if Kaname had me stuck in a dead end, he wasn't going to stop me from finding out more about him and the hole in the ground. And I was going to make sure of that.


End file.
